Claire Lewis

Sheffield Wednesday players moved by the plight of woman battling cancer have donated thousands of pounds to help keep her alive.

First team players have gone online today and over the last week to donate sums of either £1,000 or £500 to help the wife of their fitness coach, Andy Kalinins, pay for specialist treatment she hopes will extend her life and allow her to watch her four children grow up.

Hayley Kalinins, aged 35, has secondary breast cancer and medics in the UK have said there is nothing more they can do for her.

But desperate to keep fighting the disease, Hayley launched an online fundraising page earlier this year to pay for specialist treatment in Germany, which will cost £250,000.

Hayley, who has children aged five, eight, 10 and 15, is currently at the clinic, where she is on an immunotherapy treatment plan, which is designed to boost her body's natural defences to fight the cancer.

Last week kindhearted football fans donated £11,463.96 in a bucket collection held before the Sheffield Wednesday v Nottingham Forest game.

It was matched by Sheffield Wednesday, taking the total for the day to £22,927.92.